CRICKET/Test match:Australia captain Ricky Ponting has claimed the level of abuse directed towards his family has forced his parents to change their telephone number.
The Tasmanian has come in for criticism in both Australia and India for his role in the row between the two cricketing nations following a stormy second Test in Sydney.
Ponting reported Harbhajan Singh to umpires Steve Bucknor and Mark Benson after an incident in which the India spinner is alleged to have called Australia's only black player, Andrew Symonds, a "monkey".
Harbhajan faces a three-match ban, subject to appeal, after he was found guilty of racial abuse by match referee Mike Procter at a hearing at the Sydney Cricket Ground, and Ponting's part in the incident has upset the travelling party.
But it is the general conduct of Ponting and his team which has most drawn the ire of spectators and media.
There have been calls for Ponting's removal as captain from the press, while many fans have voiced their unhappiness at the aggressive manner of Australia's play.
That displeasure has manifested itself in unacceptable ways, according to Ponting. "My family were affected," he told Channel Nine's A Current Affair programme.
"My mum and dad have had some fairly abusive phone calls on their home phone and were forced to go out and change their phone number.
"There's been a bit going on and there's no doubt, (it's been) a difficult time for a lot of people around me.
"The first day probably affected (my wife) Rianna more than it did me because I was up early on the golf course playing a charity day and got a phone call from her saying, 'Is everything okay? Is your job safe'? and I didn't know what she was talking about. I had to calm Rianna down a little bit, she was a little bit worried about what might be going to happen."
The Australia captain admitted he had fallen short of acceptable behaviour at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
"We probably all would look back at that game and pick little incidents from the game that we might have liked to have changed," he said.
India skipper Anil Kumble was one who pronounced himself unhappy with the Australians' antics in Sydney, stating that "only one team was playing within the spirit of the game".
The 37-year-old revealed on Wednesday that he attempted to convince Ponting not to proceed with a formal complaint against Harbhajan, whose appeal is pending.
That was never an option, according to the Tasmanian, who insisted the matter was out of his control once he had spoken to the umpires.
"That was pretty much impossible because I had made the umpires aware of what happened a matter of seconds after that had taken place on the field," he continued. "I don't, or any player doesn't, actually report him. I carried out my duties as captain."
The two captains intend to meet before the third Test in Perth to ensure tensions are eased before the series resumes next Wednesday.
Meanwhile, a dominant unbeaten century from captain Graeme Smith capped a near perfect day for South Africa as they went for a series victory in the third Test against West Indies.
Smith reached the milestone, his sixth ton against the Windies, in just 112 deliveries as the Proteas established a 74-run lead at stumps on day one in Durban.
Earlier, returning paceman Shaun Pollock had taken four wickets as the hosts made the most of the absence of visiting skipper Chris Gayle to rip through a fragile Windies batting order for just 139.
Scoreboard
West Indies - First innings
D Ganga c Smith b Steyn 3
B Parchment c Gibbs b Pollock 11
R Morton lbw b Pollock 1
M Samuels c Boucher b Ntini 6
S Chanderpaul c Kallis b Ntini 0
D Bravo c Gibbs b Pollock 13
D Ramdin c Gibbs b Nel 30
D Sammy c Smith b Nel 28
J Taylor c Steyn b Pollock 25
D Powell not out 15
F Edwards c Boucher b Nel 0
Extras(b-1, lb-6) 7
Total (all out, 34.3 overs)139
Fall of wickets:1-10, 2-11, 3-22, 4-26, 5-33, 6-57, 7-74, 8-116, 9-139
Bowling:Steyn 8-2-18-1, Ntini 7-1-30-2, Pollock 11-2-35-4, Nel 6.3-0-45-3, Kallis 2-1-4-0.
South Africa - First innings
G. Smith not out 122
H. Gibbs b Powell 27
H. Amla not out 55
Extras(B-4, lb-5) 9
Total(one wicket, 43 overs) 213
To bat:J. Kallis, A. Prince, AB de Villiers, M. Boucher, S. Pollock, A. Nel, D. Steyn, M. Ntini.
Fall of wickets:1-53 Bowling: Powell 12-1-60-1, Edwards 11-0-74-0, Taylor 9-3-21-0, Sammy 9-2-40-0, Samuels 2-0-9-0
South Africa lead by 74 runs with nine first innings wickets remaining.
